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James C. (Jim) McDaniel worked for the company for over 60 years. Beginning with what was then known as the Canadian National Telegraphy Company (CNT), he went on to work for CNCP Telecommunications which was formed by a merger of CNT with Canadian Pacific's Telecommunication's subsidiary. He finished his career working with Unitel Communications as the company became known after CN divested its ownership stake. He was a regular participant in many of the Company's events – particularly at the annual employee golf tournament - during the years when it was known as AT&T Canada. Born in 1918, Jim began his career in 1934 as a telegraph messenger with what was then known as the Canadian National Telegraph Company. Jim rose through the ranks to become Head of Sales and his career and experience was at the heart of the last century's technology revolution from Morse code through to fibre optics and the beginnings of the Internet. During the 1970s and 1980s, Jim was a pioneer in the way he acted as Chief Customer Advocate in television commercials - for what had come to be known as CNCP Telecommunications - becoming Mr. CNCP. Later in the 1990s, after a brief retirement, Jim agreed to become a member of the senior management team at Unitel Communications, where he contributed his powers of persuasion and national presence to the effort to bring competition to Canada's long distance telephony market. Jim's first job was delivering telegrams by bicycle in downtown Toronto for the Canadian National Railways. By the end of the 1930's he was a telegrapher. He served during the war with the Royal Canadian Air Force. After the war, he continued his studies and as a result the telegram delivery boy became General Sales Manager for CNCP Telecommunications. One of his first assignments was helping sell and then supervise the installation of the first computer message system for Air Canada. Next came the move from selling face to face to selling on television. "I didn't know anything about advertising," Jim said modestly, "but they put me in charge." On one occasion, after demonstrating how the actor hired by the Company should communicate a particular message, the film director suggested Jim try presenting in front of the camera himself. The rest as they say is "history". For the next decade and a half, Jim became a fixture on national television using his familiar face to boost both the Company's image and sales. Off camera, Jim traveled throughout Canada making speeches on behalf of the Company and increasing the merits of competition in the telecom Industry. Jim was one of the best known faces on Canadian television during the 1970s and 1980s. He had a rugged face, more that of a character actor than a leading man, and a trademark brush cut. He would walk straight up to the camera and announce: "This is Jim McDaniel for Telex," and then go on to tout the product from CNCP Telecommunications Those of us who remember those commercials agree that he was a very credible spokesman for the company. Retirement was next on Jim's agenda, but not for long. With a staff of six volunteers he became ombudsman for the Canadian Information Processing Society. The ombudsman was sort of a court of last resort for those who were threatened or confused by the faceless, at that time not well understood computer. Following this he went back to work as a sales consultant, selling dedicated fax lines, then switched to high speed data lines and promoting the use of the personal computer. Many of his post retirement years were spent fighting the Bell Canada telephone monopoly. He made speeches, and lobbied Ottawa, using his media image to promote competition. Jim was the lead "Spokesperson" on behalf of CNCP's campaign to obtain a cellular phone license in 1985 traveling all over Canada. He enjoyed greater success when he was invited back to help Unitel successfully battle for competition in the long distance telephony market. Jim McDaniel will be remembered as an impeccably dressed and dignified gentleman. |